Could Not Declaring A Public Health Emergency Cause More Problems?

By Steve Goldstein
Published: Friday, August 11, 2017 - 1:40pm
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Earlier this week, President Donald Trump had strong words about the opioid epidemic in the United States.

He emphasized increasing law enforcement and making the southern border more secure to allow fewer illegal drugs to get into the country. But despite his Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis recommending the declaration of a public health emergency, President Trump didn’t take that step.

How significant is that? Could it cause greater problems?

We talked about that with James Hodge, professor of public health law and ethics at ASU, and Sarah Noe, a recent ASU graduate.

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